CE Week Reviews: Sexy Wearables!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, science fans of ALL ages, step right up and enjoy the very first post from the Emcee of Electronics, the Grand Marshall of Gadgetry, the one, the only, (and aren’t we all grateful for that folks?!) Mike!!!

*waits for raucous applause to die down, and seats to be retaken*

So, for this first post, we’ll be talking about the wonderful world of wired and wireless wizardry known as CE Week!  It’s an annual convention held in Manhattan that sheds light on new and emerging tech for you, your home, and this year, even your pets!  For this guided tour of techno-treasures, I’ve decided to break it down by category to make it a bit easier.  So without further ado, let’s get started!
**I don’t want to overwhelm you with awesome, so I’ll break these reviews into several posts
WEARABLES
With this being the fastest expanding market in tech right now, there were quite a few products on display.  Here’s my personal suggestions on what to keep an eye out for.
HEXOSKIN 

This is one of the most novel approaches to wearable tech I’ve seen in quite awhile. Instead of being a watch, band, or other accessory, Hexoskin is clothing itself!

 Shirts with built-in sensors measure your heart rate, breathing rate, calories, step count, and more via connection to a small monitor discreetly tucked away into a built-in pocket.  The monitor then sends the information via bluetooth to your phone, displaying all the data in an accompanying app.

Available now, with the shirts going for $175, and the full starter kits at $399.

For those who are trying to keep fitness stealthy, or simply aren’t into wrist accessories, this is one to watch! Go see this wonder wear at Hexoskin.com, on FB at Facebook.com/Hexoskin, or on Twitter @Hexoskin

VOYCE

This is an entirely new breed of wearable tech, and you can’t even use it!

You see, Voyce isn’t for you, but for your dog!  A water-proof collar monitors your dog’s activity levels, rest cycles, heart and respiratory rates, and calories to provide a holistic view of the health and well being of your best friend.

The accompanying app displays customized articles and info specific to your breed and needs, and can easily share all this data with your vet to make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to keeping your pet happy and healthy.

Available for pre-order in three sizes between 12in and 32in at $299, with a monthly subscription of $15 ($12/month if you buy the yearly package).

Don’t worry if you have a smaller dog though, company President (and really great guy) Jeff Noce assures me that sizes for toy group dogs, as well as cats, will be available in February!

You can check this life changing product out at mydogsvoyce.com, on FB at Facebook.com/mydogsvoyce, or on Twitter @mydogsvoyce.

*As a special note, I’d really like to thank Jeff Noce for talking with me at length not just about this product, but stories of special needs best friends we’ve had. For those furry family members who have constant health issues, this is a total game changer and offers much welcomed peace of mind.  February can’t come fast enough for me!  

MTX/VELODYNE
While these aren’t “wearables” persay, I didn’t want to make a separate category just for headphones, so we’ll say that since you wear them, they count yeah? Good.  So, both of these were fantastic, fashionable, affordable (comparatively), and most importantly, fun!!!  Let’s start with MTX!
 
MTX has partnered with Margaritaville for their new line of headphones/earbuds, and they’re just as colorful as you’d expect from a name synonymous with beaches.  I tried the headphones (but not the earbuds) out, and was pleasantly surprised first by the passive noise cancellation they provide without music, and secondly, by the full, immersive sound when there is music.
Lightweight and made of cool materials (important in this summer heat), they gain an added beach feel by being packaged with a drawstring canvas pouch (which pocket for your phone and a carabiner clip) emblazoned with the Margaritaville logo.
For me, the only drawback is that the controls are only for use with Apple products.  Headphones go for $299 while the earbuds are $99.  Check them out at Margaritavilleaudio.com.
 
Velodyne’s offerings are fun for a whole different reason, and for these sleek sets, it’s all about the skins!
The vLeve bluetooth headphones have interchangeable skins you can apply to them, for personalization, extra funkiness, or just to match the outfit you’re rockin that day.
Now, I’ll admit to not having tried these out, so I can’t vouch for the sound the way I did for MTX, but the build quality and design look fantastic.  I’m also a fan of the pricier vFree models, which have included the controls into the headphones themselves in a very sleek, stealth way.
You wouldn’t know it wasn’t part of the design until you picked them up.  The vLeve will run you $219, while the vFree go for $299.  Give the skins a look for yourself at Velodyne.com.
 
Take it all in! If you have any questions, let me know and I’ll reach out to the companies for answers. More to come very shortly!!